Deities
Gods of the Multiverse There are many gods situated in the Nevandaar setting, a combination of primordial beings and ascended mortals, of strange otherworldly forces and stellar powers made manifest. These are the gods that make up the pantheon in Nevandaar. Gods are able to do a wide array of things, from calling a bolt of lightning down from the heavens to sundering an entire island in two. Gods grow in power when more people worship them, this is why the Major Deities are all based around large encompassing domains, whilst minor deities are more niche. There are 84 deities in the Nevandaar setting, not including the Increate, Fundamentals and the Progenitors. However, if you would like to add one please ask and if it does not overlap too much I can add them. Immortal Forces - Mortal Avatars All gods are immortal forces, unkillable realities of the many realms. When they exist in between the planes - as most gods do now - they can be communed with, bestow divine boons and powers, influence the world in minor ways and spread their influence through miracles. However the effect a god has on the material plane, is much less than any other plane of existence. The reasons of this are unknown, but if a god wants to bring their full power to bear in the material plane, they must sunder themselves into an avatar. Whilst an Avatar on the Material Plane, the god is killable. Vulnerable even. They are still divine beings, free from exhaustion, disease and ageing, but they can me struck down with enough force. During the war of Attrition, so many gods were born and killed due to most deities turning into avatars during the war. It was a risk vs. reward situation, where gods levied the potential powers they could bring to their side of the conflict, against the potential of dying. To return to godhood between the planes, a deity must spend an uninterrupted week in meditation. When a god is killed, be it by another deities hand, or by that of a mortal - their powers do not disappear. The gods are essential to the multiverse, and their domains and powers are established factors of existence, which cannot be removed. Instead, when a god dies his divine powers instead seek out the nearest vessel powerful enough to contain them. Normally it belongs to the being who just struck down a god. This person then replaces the god they killed - their mind remains their own, but they receive the powers, mindset and goals of the previous god. Old and New There are a lot of gods cited as either Old or New. For simplicities sake, an Old God is a god who has maintained their position for all of time. They have not been replaced, or struck down in the past. A New God is a being that was a mortal at some point, but through the act of killing or being present during the act of killing a god, they became the vessel for its divine powers and influence. The Creators The creators are on a different level entirely to gods. These are the gods of gods. They created the vast multiverse and everything in existence can be credited back to them. The Increate There is a great discussion surrounding the conception of reality, that is waged all throughout the many planes of existence. Some claim it was a simple matter of time, and space. A sudden burst of infinite potential that begun our universe by scattering countless chunks of matter to the winds. Akin to the conception of our own world. Others claim it was willed into existence by a being of infinite, absolute power. This being has no form, not to the knowledge of any mind in existence. It is both a confirmed power, but also one that has no way of proving itself to exist. Thus, Scholars, loremasters and academics often cite the universe as being created by one of two forces. The Increate, and a phenomenon they refer to as the ‘Inception’. Clerics, Druids, and otherwise religious authorities, however. Believe solemnly and unconditionally in the Increate. In fact, the being can be prayed to, and does indeed offer powers to its followers much like a lesser or greater deity, a Progenitor, or a Fundamental. The two authorities, religious and academic, are often at odds about how to classify the Increate. However, after many a demonstration of power by the clergy; and many a scientific analysis lectured by the scholars; they both still end up arguing over the whole thing. The Increate is real, of that there is no question. However, it is unknown if this being was the creator of our known reality, or simply one of the first things made. It could be a far-off god, caught in the distance sparkle of a black hole, or simply a cosmic force that ebbs throughout the multiverse. No one knows, and its doubtful that anyone will. Domains The Increate is the god of all things, past, present, and future. Any Domain may call upon him for power and he will grant it. However, the Increate never interacts directly with his followers, much like the Progenitors and the Fundamentals. Instead, if a Cleric asks a question of the Increate they may receive a vision, in place of a spoken answer. Worshippers The Increate is worshipped by beings from all over the multiverse. From the poorest farmer on the material plane, to the most powerful Demon of the Seven Hells. Deities are also known to give thanks, and offer prayers to the Increate, and its expected but not confirmed that the Progenitors and Fundamentals do the same. The Fundamentals The four Fundamentals of the universe are four divine beings of immense power, they are considered to be the creators of Nevandaar and the material plane. Distant stars, far off planets and orbiting moons are all considered to be creations of these four divine beings. They were willed into essence by the Increate. The beings are Light, Chaos, Void and Pneuma. The Fundamentals are also responsible for the Positive Energy plane, Negative Energy Plane, the Astral Plane, the Exanimate Plane and the Feywild. The four Fundamentals have many interpretations that differ wildly depending on the race presenting it. Yuan-Ti culture show the Fundamentals to be enormous Snakes, gliding through the cosmos on stellar winds. Whilst Human culture presents the Fundamentals as four eternal horsemen, riding their mounts throughout creation. Light is known as the Fundamental of all things good. He introduced wildlife and vegetation to the world, and is thought to be the creator of the Positive Energy plane. Chaos is known as the Fundamental of all things evil. He introduced darkness and destruction to the world, and is thought to be the creator of the Negative Energy plane. Pneuma is known as the Fundamental of what we know as spirits, and souls. They allowed beings to exist and live entire, full lives, from fish to animals to humanoids. They are thought to be the creator of the Astral Plane. Void is known as the Fundamental of balance and order. They constantly stepped in when Light, or Chaos’s forces became too great, and ensured no once force would overpower another. They are thought to be the creator of the two parallel planes to the Material Plane, the Feywild and the Exanimate plane. Domains The Fundamentals are the gods of all things material, and spiritual. As such, all domains can worship each Fundamental, or a combination of all four of them if they so wish. However, each Fundamental tends to have a few domains associated more closely with them. Light is known to be prevalent amongst Life, Nature, Protection, Light, and Ambition Domains. Chaos is known to be prevalent amongst War, Trickery, Strength, Order, Grave and Death Domains. Void is known to be prevalent amongst Arcana, Forge, Knowledge, Solidarity and Zeal Domains. Pneuma is known to be prevalent amongst all and every domain. Worshippers The Fundamentals are worshipped by beings from all over the multiverse. From a Goliath tribe in Icemar, to a Hobgolblin legion in Advardia. Deities are also known to give thanks, and offer prayers to the Fundamentals. The Progenitors The three Progenitors of magic are two dragons, and a primordial force of divine origin. They, much like the Fundamentals are thought to be created by the Increate. The Progenitors are thought to be the creators of magic in the multiverse, and thought to be the creators of the Ethereal Plane, the Elemental Sovereign, and most of the Outer Planes. The three Progenitors are the two divine dragons, Arcanus and Divinus. With Arcanus being a rich azure blue, and Divinus being a blinding pure white. As well as the primordial lord, Osgiliath. Who is represented by a shattered blue humanoid form, held together by the elements themselves. Arcanus is the creator of the Terrene plane, where all arcane magic originates. Divinus is the creator of the Old Gods and is thought to be the origin of all divine power. Osgiliath meanwhile is known for infusing Nevendaar with a primordial, magical essence. Which allows for all natural magics to flourish. Before they left, the Progenitors also created the Titans to look after the world as it developed, and eventually sacrifice themselves to create the races that now populate Nevendaar. Domains The progenitors are the gods of all things magic and otherworldly. As such, all domains can worship each Progenitor, or a combination of all three of them. However, each Progenitor tends to have a few domains associated more closely with them. Arcanus is known to be prevalent amongst the Arcana and Knowledge domains. Divinus is known to be prevalent amongst all domains. Osgiliath is known to be prevalent amongst Nature, Tempest and War domains. Worshippers The Progenitors are worshipped by beings from all over the multiverse. From the most malicious frost-lich, to the humblest halfling. However, Arcanus is more often worshipped in the Material Plane, Osgiliath in the Elemental Planes and the Elemental Sovereign, and Divinus around the Outer Planes. Deities are also known to give thanks, and offer prayers to the Progenitors. Especially Divinus. Major Deities MORE TO COME